A photographer who captured one of the most iconic recent images of the Queen has revealed the techniques he used to achieve the ultimate shot.

Canadian-born Chris Levine was commissioned to make a holographic portrait of Her Majesty in 2004 as part of Jersey's celebrations of its 800-year-old relationship with the monarchy.

The shoot took place in the yellow drawing room in Buckingham Palace, which Levine turned 'into a Tardis' to produce his infamous hologram Equanimity.

Arguably the most famous image from the collection - entitled The Lightness of Being, which shows the Queen with her eyes shut - was only spotted by Levine years later while browsing his hard drive's contents.

Arguably the most famous image from the collection - entitled The Lightness of Being, which shows the Queen with her eyes shut - was only spotted by photographer Chris Levine years later while browsing his hard drive's contents

Describing the shoot as a 'surreal experience', he told how he used incense and meditation techniques to prepare the Queen, Tatler reports.

'I had all the blinds down, incense burning from a corner shop in Soho and an ultraviolet crucifix I asked her to focus on while the images were being taken,' he recalled.

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'I wanted the incense to create a vibe in the room, I wanted to take her somewhere different so she knew this was a different process.'

Speaking at Fortnum & Mason, where The Lightness of Being will be on display in Bar 3'6 until June 6 along with photographs of model Kate Moss, designer Paul Smith and Frankel the wonder horse, Levine said: 'I had just started getting into meditation and was focusing on her breathing and observing her breathe to create a sense of stillness.

Canadian-born Chris Levine was commissioned to make a holographic portrait of Her Majesty in 2004 as part of Jersey's celebrations of its 800-year-old relationship with the monarchy

'There was a lot of light on Her Majesty so I asked her to rest and close her eyes in between shots and the camera in the middle of the track caught that moment.

'I found it years later on my hard drive. Within 30 seconds I applied a filter and it leapt out at me. It really resonated around the world.'

Explaining that his challenge had been to make an image that was modern and conveyed the Queen's relationship with the 'new millennium', Levine reasoned: 'Why not have her eyes shut? We all close our eyes: this picture takes us into the Queen's mind, her inner realm.'

Levine, who describes himself as an artist who works with light and uses photography in his projects, previously revealed he was given the opportunity to choose what he would like the Queen to wear for the shoot.

The shoot took place in the yellow drawing room in Buckingham Palace, which Levine turned 'into a Tardis' to produce his infamous hologram Equanimity 3D, pictured

He worked with the monarch's personal dresser Angela Kelly to select the perfect outfit, and picked out a 'clean, simple crown with a cross' from the crown jewels.

'They asked me if I really did need the crown,' Levine said. 'Apparently there was a big security issue because George Bush was staying at Buckingham Palace at the time.'

He added that he was 'glad' he said he did, and had to pinch himself when she arrived in the outfit he had chosen.

Levine told The Guardian: 'It was quite a thrilling moment when she walked in the door, wearing exactly what I'd asked her to.'

Chris Levine worked with the monarch's personal dresser Angela Kelly to select the perfect outfit for the Queen, and picked out a 'clean, simple crown with a cross' from the crown jewels

To create the over-life-size three-dimensional portrait, Levine himself took over 10,000 images and 3D data-sets of Her Majesty during two sittings. The final hologram, mounted in glass and illuminated by a strip of blue LEDs, was met with worldwide acclaim.

He said: 'It was of course a great privilege and honour to be selected and it was a commission I put my heart and soul into. I couldn't have imagined the success of the work today.'

The artist, who studied graphic design at Chelsea School of Art and computer graphics at Central Saint Martins School of Art, is currently working on a light and laser show for Glastonbury 2020, as well as an installation at Houghton Hall - home to the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley.

He said: 'It will be an immersive experience outside. It's supposed to be a surprise, but it's very exciting.'